SERVICES


Tuesday December 4, 2012

Irish Bar Business Still Thriving in New York, Despite Challenges

Restaurateur and U.R.T.O. President Paul Hurley

By Maureen Sullivan

Paul Hurley understands the New York City bar and restaurant business like the back of his hand.

He learned from the ground up, paying his dues as a novice and climbing to his current status as owner of eight Manhattan establishments, including P.D. O'Hurley's, O'Casey's, Kennedy's the Hudson Beach Café, and his latest venture, Desmond's Steakhouse and Grill, scheduled to open in the next couple of weeks.

"My first job was mopping floors in South Street Seaport for $5 an hour. That was my introduction to the restaurant business," he recalled during a chat over coffee on a Friday afternoon in O'Casey's.

In addition to 27 years as a proprietor, Mr. Hurley has been president of the United Restaurant & Tavern Owners of New York, (URTO) for over five years.

One of the oldest restaurant organizations in New York, the URTO represents the collective interests of its members who are mostly, but not exclusively, Irish businesses.

This week, the URTO celebrates its 75th anniversary, a diamond jubilee that will be celebrated at the annual dinner dance at Riverside Church on December 5th.

Mr. Hurley's position as president allows him a bird's eye view of the hospitality industry for which he still has great enthusiasm: "I just love the buzz of the restaurant business. It's all about hospitality. You've got to talk to customers."

He left his home in Finglas, Dublin in 1985 and arrived in New York. It was a time of recession in Ireland and there was no work, no money to be made.

Mr. Hurley eventually found a job in O'Reilly's Townhouse on 35th Street - and a mentor in Owen O'Reilly, the owner, who showed him the ropes: "He pushed me to buy my own bar."

In Mr. Hurley's view, the Irish bar plays a pivotal role in Irish American culture that goes beyond its social function: it is central to the heart of a community, especially in hard times. "It's where people gather when anything [bad] happens. [Going to the Irish bar] brings comfort," he said, citing the relief efforts instigated by so many Irish bars in the wake of hurricane Sandy as an example.

The attraction of Irish bars, he said, is the warm welcome that awaits customers when they walk through the door, a trait that he constantly encourages in his staff: "[For the bartender] to know your name is a great thing," he said.

While the heart and soul of the Irish bar is still thriving, the industry is changing and not for the better, Mr. Hurley said.

He has witnessed first hand what the URTO has labeled the "New Prohibition" era; Businesses have had to bear the burden of additional and more restrictive laws, including the smoking ban, health department grading levels, and more recently, the American Disability Act that stipulates strict building requirements to facilitate access for the disabled.

"A lot of the Irish bars are old [buildings] so it's expensive to renovate," said Hurley, who is leading the URTO in talks with Senator Chuck Schumer to provide the industry with ample time and opportunity to meet these requirements.

"We're close with City Hall. If Christine Quinn becomes mayor in 2013, we will definitely have a voice in New York," he said, pointing to her already strong support of the organization.

As well as being an industry advocate, the URTO also assists newcomers who are eager to break into the business: "It's all about the work ethic. Margins are down, but if you work hard and take care of your customers, you will survive," he said.

Unlike their predecessors, the new crop of Irish bars are investing more in the design and ambience of their premises which, according to Mr. Hurley is a welcome development: "The old fashioned gin mills have had their day. The new Irish restaurant and bars are modernized. It's a great thing. And [providing] food is a big factor these days."

Despite narrower profit margins, and the effects of the recession, Mr. Hurley does not see the increase in the number of Irish bars as a competitive threat.

"[More Irish bars] brings more people onto your block. Some people disagree with me, but I feel like 'the more, the merrier,'" he said. "Would I advise someone to open their own bar? Yes. I wouldn't tell any young kid not to open a bar. It's every bartender's dream."

The URTO's Annual Dinner Dance takes place on Wednesday, December 5 at The Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Drive (at West 120th St.).

Cocktails at 6:30pm. Dinner at 8pm. For further information, visit www.urto.org or call (212) 557-5200 for reservations.

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